Device for multiple disc load and unload with a plurality of telescopic sections

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to a storage and transfer apparatus for mass transfer of a plurality of data discs to trays of a plurality stacked disc drives. The storage and transfer apparatus may store a plurality of discs with the disc hold pins retracted and the telescopic sections collapsed over each other. In such a configuration, the stored discs may lie in contact with each other. The storage and transfer apparatus may transfer the plurality of discs to the trays of the plurality of stacked disc drives with the discs holding pins extended and the telescopic sections extended relative to each other.

BACKGROUND

Disc drives for use in reading from and/or writing to optical andmagneto-optical discs are often stored vertically in a tower enclosure.FIGS. 1 and 2 show views of a conventional tower enclosure 10 includinga plurality of disc drives 12 for reading data from and/or writing datato a plurality of discs. The discs 14 may be transferred from acartridge 16 into respective disc drives 12 of the tower enclosure 10one at a time. In particular, the robotic arm 20 may lift a disc 14 offof the cartridge 16, and transfer it to an open tray 22 of a disc drive12. This individual disc transfer process may continue until all drives12 in the tower enclosure 10 have been loaded.

In some tower enclosures, read/write operations do not begin until discshave been loaded into all drives as described above, thus resulting inwasted time as loaded drives remain idle during the disc-loadingprocess. Similarly, upon completion of read/write operations, therobotic arm 20 may return the discs 14 from the disc drives 12 to thecartridge 16 one of the time, again resulting in wasted time.

SUMMARY

In one example, the present technology relates to a data disc transferapparatus for mass transfer of a plurality of data discs to trays of aplurality of stacked devices, comprising: a pin support structureconfigured to extend through center holes of the plurality of datadiscs; and a plurality of pins mounted at positions along a length ofthe pin support structure, the plurality of pins configured to movebetween extended positions where the plurality of pins support the datadiscs spaced from each other for transfer to the trays, and retractedpositions where the plurality of pins are withdrawn from supporting thedata discs to enable mass transfer of the data discs from the pins tothe plurality of trays.

In another example, the present technology relates to a data disctransfer apparatus for mass transfer of a plurality of data discs totrays of a plurality of stacked devices, comprising: a pin supportstructure configured to extend through center holes of the plurality ofdata discs; a cylindrical sheath provided around the pin supportstructure, the sheath comprising one or more slots along a length of thecylindrical sheath; and a plurality of pins mounted at positions along alength of the pin support structure, the plurality of pins configured tomove between extended positions, extending through the one or more slotsof the sheath, where the plurality of pins support the data discs, andretracted positions, restrained within the sheath, where the pluralityof pins are withdrawn from supporting the data discs to enable masstransfer of the data discs from the pins to the plurality of trays.

In a further example, the present technology relates to a data disctransfer apparatus for mass transfer of a plurality of data discs totrays of a plurality of stacked devices, comprising: a plurality oftelescopic sections capable of telescoping between extended positionsand retracted positions with respect to each other; a plurality of pins,one or more pins of the plurality of pins mounted to each of theplurality of telescopic section, the pins configured to move betweenextended positions extending radially out from the telescopic sections,and retracted positions restrained radially closer to the telescopicsections; wherein the apparatus is configured to support the pluralityof data discs in a stored position on the apparatus with the telescopicsections in their retracted positions and the plurality of pins in theirretracted positions; and wherein the apparatus is configured to transferthe plurality of data discs to the trays of the stacked devices with thetelescopic sections in their extended positions and the plurality ofpins in their extended positions.

In a further example, the present technology relates to a method of masstransfer of a plurality of data discs from an apparatus to trays of aplurality of stacked devices, the method comprising: supporting the datadiscs on the apparatus with a first spacing relative to each other, thefirst spacing matching a spacing between the trays of the plurality ofstacked devices; moving the apparatus supporting the data discs with thefirst spacing in a first direction toward the trays until the data discsare positioned over the trays; moving the apparatus in a seconddirection orthogonal to the first direction until the data discs aresupported on the trays; retracting supports for supporting the datadiscs into the apparatus; and moving the apparatus with the supportsretracted in a third direction, opposite the second direction, toseparate the apparatus from the data discs supported on the trays.

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This Summary is not intended to identify key features oressential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended tobe used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subjectmatter. The claimed subject matter is not limited to implementationsthat solve any or all disadvantages noted in the Background.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional tower enclosure includinga number of stacked disc drives.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of a conventional system for transferring datadiscs one at a time to stacked drives in a tower enclosure.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a data disc storage and transferapparatus including telescopic sections in retracted positions.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a data disc storage and transferapparatus including telescopic sections in extended positions.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing a plurality of data discs stored on thestorage and transfer apparatus according to embodiments of the presenttechnology.

FIG. 5A is a top view of a conventional data disc.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing a plurality of data discs stored on thestorage and transfer apparatus with support pins extended between thedata discs according to embodiments of the present technology.

FIG. 7 is a is a front view showing a plurality of data discs on thestorage and transfer apparatus with support pins extended between thedata discs, and the telescopic sections extended with respect to eachother, according to embodiments of the present technology.

FIGS. 8 and 9 are perspective and side views, respectively, showing afirst step in the mass transfer of data discs from the storage apparatusto trays of stacked disc drives.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are perspective and side views, respectively, showing asecond step in the mass transfer of data discs from the storageapparatus to trays of stacked disc drives.

FIG. 12 is a side view showing a third step in the mass transfer of datadiscs from the storage apparatus to trays of stacked disc drives.

FIGS. 13 and 14 are perspective and side views, respectively, showing afinal step in the mass transfer of data discs from the storage apparatusto trays of stacked disc drives.

FIGS. 15-18 are side views showing steps for mass transfer of data discsfrom trays of stacked disc drives to the storage and transfer apparatusof the present technology.

FIGS. 19A-19C are top views of a disk support pin and its operationwithin the storage and transfer apparatus of the present technology.

FIGS. 20A-20C are top views of a disk support pin and its operationwithin the storage and transfer apparatus of the present technology.

FIGS. 21-26 show further embodiments of a disc support pin and how thesheath may be used to move the disc support pin between its retractedand extended positions.

FIG. 27 is a front view of a storage and transfer apparatus according toan alternative embodiment of the present technology.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present technology, roughly described, relates to a disc storage andtransfer apparatus for mass transfer of discs to and from all of thedisc drives in a tower enclosure. The storage and transfer apparatus(also referred to herein as simply a transfer apparatus) may comprise aplurality of telescopic sections, each section comprising one or moreretractable disc holding pins. The transfer apparatus may store aplurality of discs with the disc hold pins retracted and the telescopicsections collapsed over each other. In such a configuration, the storeddiscs may lie in contact with each other.

In order to transfer discs from the transfer apparatus, the pins may bedeployed beneath each of the stored discs, and the telescopic sectionsmay be extend relative to each other to space the discs from each other.The transfer apparatus may then move the discs over the trays of thedisc drives in the tower. When used with a transfer apparatus of thepresent technology, all the trays may be extended from the disc drives,and each tray may have a slotted front opening. The telescopic sectionsof the transfer apparatus may move into the slotted front opening of thetrays so that each of the discs in the respective sections may bevertically aligned in position over a tray to which it is to betransferred. Thereafter, the transfer apparatus may lower as a whole toseat the discs within the trays of respective drives. The disc holdingpins may then be retracted and the telescopic sections may movevertically away from the discs, leaving them in the trays.

Upon completion of data access to or from the discs, the above-describedoperations of the disc storage and transfer apparatus may be run inreverse order to remove all of the discs from the trays of the towerenclosure. Thereafter, the sections may telescope over each other, andthe disc holding pins may retract to again leave the discs in a storedposition on the apparatus.

The terms “top” and “bottom,” “upper” and “lower” and “vertical” and“horizontal,” and forms thereof, as may be used herein are by way ofexample and illustrative purposes only, and are not meant to limit thedescription of the invention inasmuch as the referenced item can beexchanged in position and orientation. Also, as used herein, the terms“substantially” and/or “about” mean that the specified dimension orparameter may be varied within an acceptable manufacturing tolerance fora given application. In one embodiment, the acceptable manufacturingtolerance is ±.25%.

FIGS. 3 and 4 each show a front view of a disc storage and transferapparatus 100, with the transfer apparatus 100 shown in an axiallyretracted position in FIG. 3, and in an axially extended position inFIG. 4. The disc storage and transfer apparatus 100 may comprise a pinsupport structure, which in embodiments comprise a plurality ofcylindrical telescopic sections 102 ₁, 102 ₂, 102 ₃, . . . , 102 _(n)(collectively, telescopic sections 102) housed within a sheath 106. Thenumber of telescopic sections 102 shown in the figures is by way ofexample only. In embodiments, the number of telescopic sections may bethe same as a number of disc drives in a tower enclosure (explain below)with which the transfer apparatus 100 operates. The number of telescopicsections need not be the same as a number of disc drives in such a towerenclosure in further embodiments.

Additionally, the size difference in the diameter of each of thetelescopic sections 102 is shown for illustrative purposes. Thetelescopic sections may be made of a thin gauge plastic or metal such assheet steel or aluminum, having a wall thickness of for example 1/16 or1/32 of an inch. The wall thickness of the sections 102 may be larger orsmaller than this in further embodiments. Each successive telescopicsection 102 may be sized to fit snugly within the next adjacenttelescopic section, while allowing the respective telescopic sections tomove freely between the retracted and extended positions of FIGS. 3 and4. Thus, a large number of telescopic sections may be provided without alarge increase in diameter from the smallest telescopic section 102 _(n)to the largest telescopic section 102 ₁.

Each of the telescopic sections 102 may include one or more disc holdingpins 104 mounted to each telescopic section 102, and biased to extendradially outward from the telescopic sections 102. FIGS. 3 and 4 show apair of disc holding pins 104 extending from each telescopic section102. The disc holding pins 104 may move between the extended positionshown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and a retracted position shown for example inFIGS. 25-26 as explained below.

The disc storage and transfer apparatus 100 may further include acylindrical pin restraint sheath 106 (shown in dashed lines in FIGS. 3and 4) having an axial length at least as long as all of the telescopicsections 102 when extended as shown in FIG. 4. The diameter of thesheath 106 around the telescopic sections 102 is provided so as to fitwithin the center hole of a data disc, as explained below. Thetelescopic sections 102 may be positioned within the sheath 106, and mayextend and retract axially within the sheath 106. The disc holding pins104 may retract into the sheath 106, and may extend radially out of thesheath, and may retract radially into the sheath. In particular, asexplained below in greater detail respect to FIGS. 19A-26, the sheath106 includes one or more slots extending an axial length of the sheath.The sheath is rotatable between first and second positions. In the firstposition, the one or more pins align with and extend through the slotsto their extended positions. In the second position, the one or morepins engage the interior sidewalls of the sheath 106 so as to beretracted and restrained within the sheath 106. Pins 104 move betweentheir extended and retracted positions upon rotation of the sheathbetween the first and second positions as explained in greater detailbelow.

FIG. 5 shows the storage and transfer apparatus 100 with the telescopicsections 102 collapsed over each other in retracted positions (withinsheath 106), and the pins 104 also within the sheath 106 in retractedpositions. In this state, a number of data discs 110 may be stored onthe transfer apparatus 100. Any of a variety of data discs 110 may bestored and transferred by the apparatus 100, including for exampleoptical and magneto-optical storage discs such as CDs, DVDs and Blu-Raydiscs. In the stored state shown in FIG. 5, the data discs 110 may restagainst each other. FIG. 5A shows a top view of an example of a datadisc 110 including a center hole 112 for supporting the data disc 110 onthe sheath 106.

Some versions of data discs have hubs 114, around the central holes 112,which are slightly thicker than the data-carrying portions of data discs110 around the hubs. As shown in FIG. 5, the hubs 114 of adjacent discs110 rest against each other when the transfer apparatus 100 is in thestorage state shown in FIG. 5. The hubs 114 create a slight spacingbetween the data-carrying portions of the discs 110. The disc holdingpins 104 of the bottommost telescopic section 102 _(n) may remainextended to support the stack of discs on the transfer apparatus 100 inthe stored state.

Referring now to FIG. 6, in order to initiate the transfer of discs 110,the sheath 106 may be rotated as indicated by the arrow A, which freesthe disc holding pins 104 to extend from the sheath to their extendedpositions between the discs as shown. The disc holding pins are mountedto the respective telescopic sections 102 so that, when the sections 102are retracted in a collapsed position over each other (as shown forexample in FIGS. 3 and 6), the disc holding pins are spaced with a pitchequal to the spacing between the stored discs, and positioned in thespace between the stored discs. Thus, when the disc holding pins 104extend, the pins extend beneath each of the stored discs 110 as shown inFIG. 6.

With the discs 110 supported on the disc holding pins 104, thetelescopic sections 102 may move to their extended positions, shown forexample in FIGS. 4 and 7. In FIG. 7, a top portion of the sheath 106 isshown, but the remaining portion of the sheath 106 which extends thelength of all of the telescopic sections 102 is shown in dashed linesfor ease of understanding of the present technology. The lower portionof the sheath 106 is similarly shown in dashed lines in FIGS. 9 and11-14, and omitted entirely from FIGS. 8 and 10. However, the telescopicsections 102 may be housed within the sheath 106 at all times, whetherextended or retracted.

In embodiments, the storage and transfer apparatus 100 may be amanually-operated device. In such embodiments, the transfer apparatus100 may be manually moved from its retracted position shown in FIG. 6 tothe extended position shown in FIG. 7. For example, the uppermosttelescopic section 1021 may be affixed to a wire or cable extending outof a top of the sheath. When the cable is slack, gravity may compressthe telescopic sections over each other to their retracted positions.When the cable is pulled, the telescopic sections may extend relative toeach other within the sheath 106. In further embodiments, the storageand transfer apparatus 100 may be electronically controlled by acontroller (not shown). The controller may send a signal to an actuator(not shown) affixed to the wire or cable so as to leave the cable slack,or to pull the cable upwards relative to the sheath 106 to extend thetelescopic sections relative to each other. The telescopic sections 102may be made to move between their compressed, retracted positions andextended positions within sheath 106 by a variety of other mechanicalmeans in further embodiments.

After the telescopic sections have been extended, the storage andtransfer apparatus 100 may position the discs 110 for mass transfer ofthe discs into a column of stacked disc drives as shown in FIGS. 8 and9. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing some discs 110 of thetransfer apparatus 100 adjacent to some of the vertically stacked discdrives 120 in a tower enclosure of disc drives. FIG. 9 is a side view ofthe transfer apparatus 100 adjacent the vertical column of disc drives120 in the tower enclosure 122. The trays 124 of each disc drive 120 maybe extended to receive the discs 110 from the storage and transferapparatus 100. In embodiments, the trays which receive the discs 110from the transfer apparatus 100 are trays of disc drives 120. However,it is conceivable that the trays which receive the discs are associatedwith devices other than disc drives, such as for example disc storagedevices, disc testing devices, disc cleaning devices, etc. Additionally,in order to receive the transfer apparatus 100, each of the trays 124may include a slotted or open front portion 126 into which the transferapparatus 100 passes to load the discs 110 onto the trays 124.

In manually-operated embodiments, the storage and transfer apparatus 100may be carried to the disc drives 120 and manually positioned. Inelectronically controlled embodiments, the storage and transferapparatus 100 may be supported on a robotic arm (not shown) capable oftranslating the transfer apparatus 100 in an y-z plane, as indicated bythe orthogonal axes in FIG. 9. The robotic arm may also be capable oftranslation in a third, orthogonal (x) direction, parallel to the frontface of the tower enclosure 122.

The perspective and side views of FIGS. 10 and 11 are similar to theviews of FIGS. 8 and 9, respectively, but further show the storage andtransfer apparatus 100 having moved in the y-direction through theslotted front portions 126, and down along the z-direction to properlyposition each of the discs 110 over their respective trays 124. Theaxial lengths of each of the telescopic sections 102 are provided sothat, the discs supported on the pins 104 of each telescopic section 102are spaced from each other at least approximately same pitch as betweenthe trays 124 of the disc drives 120 in the tower enclosure 122.Thereafter, as shown in the side view of FIG. 12, the sheath 106 may berotated to retract the disc holding pins 104, to thus release each ofthe discs 110 onto their respective trays in a mass transfer of thediscs 110.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, with the disc holding pins 104retracted, the sheath 106 may be moved vertically in the direction ofarrow B along the z-axis, removing the storage and transfer mechanismfrom the trays 124 and leaving the discs 110 in the trays. The trays maythen close and data transfer may be performed on the discs 110 withinthe disc drives 120. In FIGS. 13 and 14, the telescopic sections 102move to their retracted positions as the sheath 106 moves vertically upaway from the trays 124. However, as explained below, the telescopicsections may remain in their extended positions as the sheath 106 movesvertically away from the trays.

As shown in the side views of FIGS. 15-18, the above-described processmay be reversed to remove the discs from the discs drives all at once.Again, a portion of the sheath 106 is shown in dashed lines in FIGS.15-17 for clarity. Referring initially to FIG. 15, after data transfertwo from all discs 110 in the tower enclosure 122 is completed, thetrays 124 are opened. Thereafter, the storage and transfer apparatus 100is inserted down to the center of each of the discs 110 in the trays124, with the telescopic sections 102 extended relative to each other.The transfer apparatus is lowered until the disc holding pins 104 arepositioned just beneath each of the discs. Thereafter, the pins 104 maybe extended by rotating the sheath 106 to support each of the discs 110in the tower enclosure 122 on the disc holding pins 104. The transferapparatus may then move upward along the z-axis to lift each of thediscs 110 clear of their respective trays 124 as shown in FIG. 16.

The storage and transfer apparatus 100 may then move horizontally alongthe y-axis out through the slotted front portions 126 of the trays 124as shown in FIG. 17 until the discs 110 are clear of the trays 124.Thereafter, the telescopic sections 102 may retract over each other andthe disc holding pins 104 may retract into the sheath 106 so that thediscs 110 are once again stacked against each other in a stored positionas shown in FIG. 18.

Further details of embodiments of the disc holding pins 104 and theiroperation with respect to sheath 106 will now be explained in greaterdetail respect to FIGS. 19A-26. FIG. 19A shows an example of a shape ofa disc holding pin 104, and FIGS. 19B and 19C show the operation of thedisc holding pin 104 of FIG. 19A, through a horizontal cross-section ofthe transfer apparatus 100. Disc holding pins 104 may be mounted torespective telescopic sections 102 so that, in an unbiased position, thepins stick out of an axial slot 106A provided along the length of sheath106 when the pins 104 align with the slot 106A (FIG. 19B). The pins 104may be flexible so that rotation of the sheath 106, for examplecounterclockwise as shown in FIG. 19C, causes the pin 104 to retract andget trapped in a space between the sheath 106 and the telescopic section102. The pin may move between an extended position (FIG. 19B) and aretracted position (FIG. 19C) upon clockwise rotation of the sheath 106in further embodiments.

FIGS. 20A-20C show the operation of a disc holding pin 104 having adifferent configuration than that shown in FIGS. 19A-19C. In general,the embodiment of FIGS. 20A-20C may be similar to that described above.However, in this embodiment, the telescopic section 102 may also have aslot 102A. When the sheath 106 rotates to move the pin 104 from anextended position (FIG. 20B) to a retracted position (FIG. 20C), the pin104 may retract through the slot 102A, into an interior of thetelescopic section 102. While FIGS. 19A-20C show a single disc holdingpin 104 around the circumference of the telescopic section 102, thetelescopic section 102 may have more than one disc holding pin 104operating as in the above-described embodiments.

Where the slots 106A extend straight up and down the sheath 106, themass transfer of the discs 110 to the trays 124 would be simultaneous.However, it is conceivable that the slots 106A be provided in a helicalarrangement axially down the sheath 106. In such an embodiment, the masstransfer of disks 110 to the trays 124 may not be simultaneous but wouldbe sequential.

In order for the pins to radially retract and extend from the one ormore slots 106A upon rotation of the sheath 106, the telescopingsections need to remain stationary and not rotate as the sheath rotates.This may be accomplished a variety of ways. In one example, theuppermost telescopic section 102 ₁ may extend out above the sheath 106(as shown for example in FIGS. 23 and 25) and be anchored so as toremain stationary as the sheath 106 is rotated. In a further example,the lowermost telescopic section 102 _(n) may extend from the sheath 106and be anchored to a surface 140, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The surface140 may mounted to, and move with, portions of the transfer apparatus100, but may be separate from the sheath 106. Other means of preventingrelative rotation between the telescopic sections 102 and the sheath 106are contemplated. Additionally, while each telescopic section is able totelescope axially with respect to the adjacent telescopic sections, thetelescopic sections may be mounted to each other so as to preventrotation between adjacent telescopic sections 102.

FIGS. 23-26 show a further embodiment including three disc holding pins104 around a circumference of the telescopic section 102. FIGS. 23 and24 show the slots 106A of sheath 106 aligned with the disc holding pins104 so that the pins 104 are in their extended positions through slots106A. FIGS. 25 and 26 show the sheath rotated relative to the positionof FIGS. 23 and 24, so that the disc holding pins 104 no longer alignwith the slots 106A. Rotation of the sheath 106 has bent the discholding pins 104 so as to be trapped in a retracted position in a spacebetween the sheath 106 and the telescopic section 102.

While a few examples of disc holding pins 104 have been set forth inFIGS. 19A-26, it is understood that the disc holding pins 104 may beprovided in a wide ride of other configurations in further embodiments.Additionally, while rotation of the sheath has been described above as amechanism for moving the disc holding pins 104 between their extendedand retracted positions, it is understood that the pins 104 may be movedbetween their extended and retracted positions by other mechanicalschemes in further embodiments. The one or more slots 106A in the sheath106 may extend along the entire axial length of the sheath 106, and theabove-described operation of the sheath 106 to move the disc holdingpins 104 between the retracted and extended position may occur at eachtelescopic section 102.

In embodiments described above, the sheath 106 and telescopic sections102 are cylindrical with concentric circular cross-sections (in ahorizontal plane). However, it is conceivable that the telescopicsections 102 have cross-sectional shapes other than circular, providedthat they fit within the sheath 106. For example, the telescopicsections 102 could have a square, rectangular or oval cross-sectionalshape.

In embodiments described above, the storage and transfer apparatus 100comprises disc holding pins 104 extending from a plurality ofcollapsible telescopic sections 102. Thus, when not in use transferringdiscs to and from disc drives 120, the telescopic sections 102 maycollapse to a storage position shown for example in FIGS. 3 and 18.However, a further embodiment of the present technology may operatewithout telescoping sections 102. Such an embodiment will now bedescribed with reference to FIG. 27.

The embodiment of FIG. 27 shows a storage and transfer apparatus 200including a sheath 106 and disc holding pins 104 which may have the sameconfiguration and operation as described in any of the aboveembodiments. However, the transfer apparatus 200 of this embodiment mayinclude a pin support structure comprising a solid cylinder 202 mountedwithin sheath 106, and constrained so as to remain stationary and notrotate as the sheath rotates as described above. In this embodiment, thedisc holding pins 104 may be mounted along the axial length of the solidcylinder 202, extending radially as described above. The pins 104 may bespaced at positions along the axial length of the solid cylinder thatmatch the spacing of the trays 124 of the disc drives 120 in the towerenclosure 122.

The storage and transfer apparatus 200 of FIG. 27 may store discs 110when not in use. However, unlike the embodiment described above forexample with respect to FIG. 3, the transfer apparatus 200 may store thediscs 110 spaced from each other along the length, supported on theextended disc holding pins 104. The storage and transfer apparatus 200may transfer discs to the trays 124 of disc drives 120 as describedabove with respect to FIGS. 8-12. Once transferred, the transferapparatus may move vertically upward to leave the discs behind. Theprocess may be reversed to again transfer the discs from the trays 124back onto the disc holding pins 104. In this embodiment, the discholding pins may remain extended at all times (for example duringstorage), and only retract when the discs 110 are seated on the trays124 to allow vertical removal of the storage and transfer apparatus 100.

Instead of a solid cylinder 202, a variety of other pin supportstructures may be used in this embodiment, with the provision that theysupport the pins 104 at fixed positions along their length to extendradially outward so that they can extend through the one or more slots106A in the sheath 106 in an extended position, and be constrainedwithin the sheath in a retracted position.

The description of the present disclosure has been presented forpurposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to beexhaustive or limited to the disclosure in the form disclosed. Manymodifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skillin the art without departing from the scope and spirit of thedisclosure. The aspects of the disclosure herein were chosen anddescribed in order to best explain the principles of the disclosure andthe practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in theart to understand the disclosure with various modifications as aresuited to the particular use contemplated.

Although the subject matter has been described in language specific tostructural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understoodthat the subject matter defined in the appended claims is notnecessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above.Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed asexample forms of implementing the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A data disc transfer apparatus for mass transferof a plurality of data discs to trays of a plurality of stacked devices,comprising: a pin support structure configured to extend through centerholes of the plurality of data discs; and a plurality of pins mounted atpositions along a length of the pin support structure, the plurality ofpins configured to move between extended positions where the pluralityof pins support the data discs spaced from each other for transfer tothe trays, and retracted positions where the plurality of pins arewithdrawn from supporting the data discs to enable mass transfer of thedata discs from the pins to the plurality of trays; wherein the pinsupport structure comprises a plurality telescopic sections configuredto move between retracted positions where the telescopic are collapsedover each other, and extended positions where the telescopic sectionsare extended relative to each other.
 2. A data disc transfer apparatusas recited in claim 1, wherein one or more pins of the plurality of pinsare mounted to each of the plurality of telescopic sections.
 3. A datadisc transfer apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the telescopicsections are cylindrical in shape.
 4. A data disc transfer apparatus asrecited in claim 2, wherein a pitch of the plurality of pins in theplurality of telescopic sections in the extended position matches aspacing between the stacked trays.
 5. A data disc transfer apparatus asrecited in claim 2, wherein a pitch of the plurality of pins in theplurality of telescopic sections in the retracted position matches aspacing between the data discs stacked on top of each other.
 6. A datadisk transfer apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sheath aroundthe pin support structure, the sheath configured to move the pluralityof pins between the extended positions and retracted positions.
 7. Adata disk transfer apparatus of claim 6, the sheath comprising one ormore slots, the sheath rotatable with respect to the pin supportstructure, rotation of the sheath to a first position enabling the pinsto extend through the one or more slots to the extended positions, androtation of the sheath to a second position trapping the pins in theretracted position within the sheath.
 8. A data disk transfer apparatusof claim 6, the sheath comprising one or more slots, the sheathrotatable with respect to the pin support structure, rotation of thesheath to a first position enabling the pins to extend through the oneor more slots to the extended positions, and rotation of the sheath to asecond position trapping the pins in the retracted position within thesheath.
 9. A data disk transfer apparatus of claim 8, wherein the one ormore slots extend straight along an axis of the sheath for simultaneousmovement of the pins to the retracted positions upon rotation of thesheath to the second position and a simultaneous mass transfer of thediscs to the trays.
 10. A data disc transfer apparatus for mass transferof a plurality of data discs to trays of a plurality of stacked devices,comprising: a pin support structure configured to extend through centerholes of the plurality of data discs; a cylindrical sheath providedaround the pin support structure, the sheath comprising one or moreslots along a length of the cylindrical sheath; and a plurality of pinsmounted at positions along a length of the pin support structure, theplurality of pins configured to move between extended positions,extending through the one or more slots of the sheath, where theplurality of pins support the data discs, and retracted positions,restrained within the sheath, where the plurality of pins are withdrawnfrom supporting the data discs to enable mass transfer of the data discsfrom the pins to the plurality of trays; wherein the pin supportstructure comprises a plurality of telescopic sections configured tomove between retracted positions where the telescopic sections arecollapsed over each other, and extended positions where the telescopicsections are extended relative to each other.
 11. The data disc transferapparatus of claim 10, the sheath rotatable between a first positionwhere the pins extend through the one or more slots of the sheath, and asecond position where the pins are restrained within the sheath.
 12. Adata disc transfer apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein one or morepins of the plurality of pins are mounted to each of the plurality oftelescopic sections.
 13. A data disc transfer apparatus as recited inclaim 12, wherein the apparatus is configured to store the data discs onthe sheath with the plurality of telescopic sections in the retractedpositions with respect to each other, and the pins in the retractedpositions.
 14. A data disc transfer apparatus as recited in claim 12,wherein the apparatus is configured to transfer the data discs from thesheath with the plurality of telescopic sections in the extendedpositions with respect to each other, and the pins in the extendedpositions.
 15. A data disc transfer apparatus for mass transfer of aplurality of data discs to trays of a plurality of stacked devices,comprising: a plurality of telescopic sections capable of telescopingbetween extended positions and retracted positions with respect to eachother; a plurality of pins, one or more pins of the plurality of pinsmounted to each of the plurality of telescopic section, the pinsconfigured to move between extended positions extending radially outfrom the telescopic sections, and retracted positions restrainedradially closer to the telescopic sections; wherein the apparatus isconfigured to support the plurality of data discs in a stored positionon the apparatus with the telescopic sections in their retractedpositions and the plurality of pins in their retracted positions; andwherein the apparatus is configured to transfer the plurality of datadiscs to the trays of the stacked devices with the telescopic sectionsin their extended positions and the plurality of pins in their extendedpositions; wherein the plurality of pins are configured to extendthrough center holes of the plurality of data discs.
 16. The data disctransfer apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a cylindrical sheathprovided around the telescopic section, the sheath comprising one ormore slots along a length of the cylindrical sheath, the sheathconfigured to move the plurality of pins between the extended positionsand retracted positions.
 17. A data disk transfer apparatus of claim 16,the sheath comprising one or more slots, the sheath rotatable withrespect to the telescopic sections, rotation of the sheath to a firstposition enabling the pins to extend through the one or more slots tothe extended positions, and rotation of the sheath to a second positiontrapping the pins in the retracted position within the sheath.